Absent Gaze
by WastefulReverie
Summary: Valerie pulls Danny across town to confront him about his stalker. Ectober Prompt: Stalker


"Don't say anything, don't look around, and follow me," she leaned into his ear.

He hadn't seen her coming yet somehow she was close enough that Danny could smell her coconut-scented shampoo. His ghost sense had made him lazy, expectant. He wasn't used to watching out for human threats, especially humans like Valerie. She was stealthier than the average girl, and that's exactly what made her dangerous.

He met her vigilant brown gaze and swallowed. Whatever this was, it was serious. Could she know? Maybe she'd been watching him longer than he thought, maybe she saw too much. He really was off his game. Then again, this could be something totally different.

Regardless, she didn't want him to speak and he'd obey. He trusted her.

She pulled away from him and uneasily drifted through a matrix of dark backstreets. It took him longer than it should've to realize that she was leading him towards her apartment. It wasn't the _worst_ journey on foot, but it cut through at least three bad parts of town.

Valerie Gray was far from helpless, but he stood his ground and made it clear that she was under _his _protection. He had to keep her safe and to ward off anyone looking for trouble. He knew that she didn't like it, being defended like some sort of _damsel_, but she didn't say anything. She wasn't stupid; she couldn't afford to be prideful. Any girl at night was vulnerable and that was a sick vice of society.

Finally, they reached the entrance of Valerie's apartment complex. She fumbled with her keys and jiggled the door open. She pushed him in first, glanced behind her shoulder, and locked it back behind her. And then set the deadbolt. And the _second _deadbolt

"Isn't this a little excessive?" he raised a brow.

"It's completely warranted. For your safety." She whirled around. "Take a seat."

He almost snorted. "For _my_ safety?"

"Yes. If you haven't figured it out, this is _serious_." Valerie grabbed his arm and pulled him over to her couch. "Sit."

"Fine, Ms. 'I-can't-help-but-be-extremely-ominous-and-dramatic' Gray." He slumped onto the seat. "Now, what's this really about?"

Valerie pinched the bridge of her nose and took the seat opposite of him.

"You have a stalker."

He rolled his eyes. "Who? _You_? Because I gotta say, you're not that good at it if that's all you brought me here for."

"No, like a real one."

There was a beat of silence.

"Well, that's not fun."

Valerie huffed indignantly. "That's not the response I expected."

"Sorry," he glanced at his hands. "Do you know who it is? You seemed pretty miffed earlier."

She took a moment to respond, pull on the hem of her cardigan's sleeve.

"Phantom."

He furrowed his brow. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "It's just… I'm still coming to terms with it. He and I used to be really close and—and I just never saw him as the type."

Danny tried to keep up with what she was saying.

"You mean my stalker?"

Valerie nodded. "I should've known. His parents are ghost hunters, I of all people should know that looks can be deceiving."

He narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying that—"

Her expression confirmed his suspicions.

"Your stalker is my ex: Danny Fenton."

"Oh."

This was awkward. He had no idea how his girlfriend had gotten the idea that his human half was stalking his ghost half, but it made this discussion a lot more complicated.

"He seems pretty innocent, right? I've been keeping an eye on him for a while—" Again, he hadn't noticed. Valerie was sneaky. _Too _sneaky. "—but he keeps ghost equipment on him all the time. I thought it was just something his parents made him do, but his sister never has that much equipment! That, and he's usually around after your fights. I don't know how you haven't caught him at the scene, but he's good. I usually only see him at the last second."

"That doesn't mean that he's stalking me, though. Lots of people hang around after my fights…"

"That's what I thought at first. But I have more proof, loads more."

_Oh, Ancients._

"Did you know that he works out? I totally couldn't believe it, the kid looks like a limp noodle—" _ouch_ "—but he's super ripped. And he's got tons of cuts, too! Back when I was starting ghost fighting, I had this hardcore exercise regimen to help me get in shape. I bet his parents are helping him, training him to track down ghosts and tear them apart. And you're his first target. He's analyzing you from the shadows, he's got to be! I just have this _hunch _that there's something seriously wrong with him."

Damn, this wasn't good. He should've known that she would catch onto something eventually. Even though her assessments weren't correct, they weren't wrong. She'd noticed things that he'd fought to hide and that meant she was _close_.

He had to throw her off.

"I don't know, Val. I've met the kid and he seems like a pacifist. If he's so ripped, why doesn't he stand up to his own bullies, like Dash Baxter?"

"Well, there's no doubt that he's ripped. I've got pictures."

His eyes widened. "W—what?"

Valerie held up a finger and pulled out her phone. She slid him a shirtless picture of Danny Fenton in the locker room, hiding around a corner. His jaw dropped.

"_How_ did you get this?"

"Star got it from Kwan who got it from Wes. You know, the same creep that thinks you two are the same person?"

Danny's expression darkened.

"_Wes._"

"What's with that hostility? Are you jealous or something?"

He gaped at her. "Hell no!"

"Whatever you say, ghost boy."

"Still, Fenton being ripped proves nothing. I really don't think he's stalking me. Maybe his parents force him to train or whatever, but haven't you noticed that he usually sticks up for ghosts?"

"Duh. That's his cover. He's going along with the crowd, with his friends. When I started hunting, I was immediately pinned as an anti-ghost advocate because I was so outspoken. I had _no _chill. He's smart, he doesn't want to draw attention to himself like his parents."

"Do you really think that he's capable of deceiving everyone for that long? He's just a kid, sooner or later he would've slipped up."

Valerie growled. "Why are you so against me on this? I have enough evidence, I'm not biased! I have _your_ best interest in mind and you're denying everything! Do you like have a soft spot for Danny fucking Fenton?"

"No, no, I just don't think we should jump to conclusions about—"

"I have concrete evidence! There's no 'jumping' involved!"

"Yeah, but—"

"He has resources, he has a motive, he has the physique, and he hangs around your fights! What more do you _want_?"

"For you to drop this! Danny isn't stalking me!"

"You didn't even know about this until today. Earlier, when I found you in the park, you didn't even _hear _me coming. How are you so sure about this? Why do you trust Fenton so much?"

"Why are you against him?"

She slammed her hands on the coffee table.

"Because he's a ghost hunter!"

"So are we!"

"But he's the bad kind like I was! His parents are off the hinges, batshit crazy!"

Phantom bared his fangs. "Shut up! No, they aren't!"

Valerie blinked. "Since when do you defend the _Fentons_?"

"They're not crazy," he said. "Drop it, Val."

"What the fuck is wrong with tonight? You've always claimed that the Fentons are too radical, that they base their research off their own prejudice. That they fight like I did: guns first, questions later. That they won't listen to reason, that they won't accept alliances. That their favorite practice is _dissection_."

"I… I know that."

"Then why are you sticking up for them and their son? Why are you so adamant that he isn't your stalker? Have they done something to you, ghost brainwashing? Is that even a thing?"

"I'm not brainwashed, trust me. I've been brainwashed before and it was _bad_. I just," he ran a hand through his hair, "the Fentons are complicated, okay? Yeah, they're extreme and stuff, but they were the city's first defense against ghosts. Before you, and before me. Without their weaponry, I'd be majorly screwed. And yeah, I don't agree with their methods, but I still respect them because some of the good they've done.

"As for Danny, I know him more than you think. He doesn't know me, but I watch over that kid. He lives in a crazy household, Jazz too. He really does support ghosts and I'm a hundred percent positive that it's not a ruse; he _genuinely_ cares about us. If he's stalking me for any reason, it's because he's a fan, not because he wants to dissect me or anything."

Valerie stared at him.

"You're an idiot. Why did you just say that in the first place?"

He sighed in relief. _She really bought it._

"I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm kinda dumb sometimes."

"Oh really?" She moved from her chair to the couch and leaned into him. Before he could react, she kissed him on the nose and giggled when his face turned green.

"_Val…_" he whined. He hated (_loved_) when she did that.

He nestled into her body, pressing his face into her neck. Her skin smelled like honey and he wanted to breathe all of it in.

She cuddled back into him, playing with his wispy, white locks. "You're a dumb ghost, but you're my dumb ghost."


End file.
